Captain Jason Chambers Reveals What Made Him Want to Hire Ellie Dubaich (EXCLUSIVE)

Below Deck Down Under’s Captain Jason Chambers found himself in uncharted territory while his new hire, Elena “Ellie” Dubaich, was already en route to M/Y Katina.

After Joe Caron unexpectedly left her post on the interior team before the first charter with The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast, the “shorthanded” captain tapped Ellie to fill the vacant stew position. When conflict erupted between Chef Ben Robinson and his sous chef, Alesia Harris, however, Jason faced a major staffing dilemma during Season 4, Episode 3.

The ultimate solution? With Ellie’s approval, he shifted the new yachtie over to serve as Ben’s galley hand, while Alesia took on the role of stew.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Dish, Captain Jason revealed what made him want to hire Ellie, who previously appeared on Seasons 7 and 9 of Below Deck Mediterranean.

“It’s hard to find crew that understands the logistics around filming,” he explained. “It’s probably the hardest I’ve ever worked, too. So, when Ellie comes up as a stewardess, well, it’s an easy fit. We just need someone now, we need someone that’s just gonna get it.”

Though he hadn’t “watched much” of Ellie’s Below Deck Med seasons at the time, Jason cited her enthusiasm as having particularly caught his attention: “She wanted to be part of the show. She wanted to be part of the season, and she wanted to be part of the boat.”

Ellie’s eagerness did not dim amid the last-minute position pivot, either.

“When I needed her to change to the galley, she even said, ‘I’ll do anything for working in the season,'” Jason recalled. “So, look, to me, that was just like, OK, she really wants to put a hundred percent in. That’s someone that we can work with.”

Why Captain Jason Chambers asked Ellie Dubaich to work in the galley

During the preference sheet meeting for the second charter of Season 4 with his department heads, Captain Jason addressed “the elephant in the room” between Ben and Alesia.

“[There are] some personality problems there, right, with you two getting on,” he told Chef Ben. “And at the end of the day, if she’s not 100 percent committed in there, it’s only gonna tarnish your environment and your output.”

He continued, “Now, Alesia, she wouldn’t mind going into the interior. However, where does that leave me? I’ve got a stewardess that I’ve actually already got coming in. So, I contacted her and said, ‘What’s your passion in cooking?’ Her attitude was, ‘I will do anything, I love learning, and I want to be on this boat.'”

Though Ben initially suggested that they give Alesia another shot in the galley to see if they could find their rhythm, chief stew Daisy Kelliher was opposed to the idea, explaining that, if unsuccessful, that could lead to her having to train two new crew members instead of one.

What to Know About Below Deck Down Under Season 4
All aboard! Below Deck Down Under Season 4 has left the dock, with new episodes airing Mondays at 8/7c on Bravo and streaming the next day on Peacock.

Captain Jason Chambers is back at the helm, along with some very familiar faces from around the Below Deck universe, including Ben Robinson, Daisy Kelliher, and João Franco.​​​​​ They will be joined by Alesia Harris, Joe Caron, Jenna Woudberg, Mike Durrant, Eddy Hounsell, and Betul Yazici.

The crew finds itself on rocky waters, as the season kicks off with a historic crossover charter featuring The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 6 cast aboard M/Y Katina. As the yachties continue to set sail through Canouan in the Caribbean, they face crew drama, steamy hookups, and charter guest issues.

Want to watch in style? Check out exclusive Below Deck Down Under merch from Shop by Bravo.

What to expect from Ellie Dubaich on Below Deck Down Under Season 4

When Captain Jason eventually revealed that Ellie was the new yachtie coming aboard, Ben quickly realized that he was already familiar with his new team member.

“I wrote to her two weeks ago, because I saw her on Instagram and I really liked her page,” the newly single chef shared in a confessional. “And I said, ‘Would you like to come for a drink?’ And now she’s my f–king sous chef. S–t, the powers of manifestation.”

Once Ellie arrived during Below Deck Down Under’s Feb. 16 episode, she gave Ben a big hug and told him, “I’m so glad to be here. I’m gonna do my absolute best to help you as much as possible. MVP energy!”

New Episodes Streaming This Week on Peacock
Monday: The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Rhode Island

Tuesday: Below Deck Down Under and Top Chef

Wednesday: Summer House

Thursday: The Valley and Southern Hospitality

Friday: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Ladies of London

A preview of what’s to come with Ellie throughout the rest of the charter season revealed that the tides are going to take a sharp turn, however.

After she vowed to keep her “head down and stay out of trouble,” several clips rolled showing Ellie and Ben engaging in some explosive arguments. Amid a montage of various clashes and insults, Ellie also mistakenly put dish soap on a charter guest’s eggs. Eventually, Ben, who said he’d hoped to avoid a “war,” declared to Daisy, “I may have lost control of my galley.”

Expect Captain Jason to intervene, too. In another moment, he was shown meeting with the two, warning them, “Where this got to is not acceptable. I don’t like making changes, but I told you I would if I need to.”

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In the meantime, don’t miss how Captain Jason reacted to his first crew member’s departure on Below Deck Down Under Season 4.

—Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka